Rocky Mountain Rally

Thursday, my dear friend Margareta met me at a Walmart in Salida, CO and we caravanned the whole 36 miles to Nathrop for the RVW Rocky Mountain Chapter’s awesome rally. Told her we had better pack a lunch! Hahaha!!!

Margareta and Argo, her amazing service dog.



The rally was being held at the Chalk Creek campground. Nathrop is nestled in the beautiful heart of the Rocky Mountains, surrounded by the “14ers” (14,000 foot mountain range).



When we arrived, we introduced ourselves to our hosts, who immediately made us feel welcome. They had a whole fun-filled weekend of activities planned for us. There were 8 of us there from the Texas Ramblin Roses Chapter. So it was like old home week again plus getting to meet new RVW sisters.



This was my view when I woke up Friday morning. It’s so refreshing to go to sleep listening to the creek.



Saturday, we had breakfast in a bag omelets. These girls like to eat too! ;)



Breakfast with old friends and new. This was just some of the group.



Following breakfast, we had rubber ducky races in the stream as a fundraiser for the chapter. It was a dollar a duck and the winner split the pot 50/50 with the chapter. It was a lot of fun and Argo came in second place and won $9.00!

Donna, one of our hostesses, sent 10 ducks downstream at a time to the finish line.







In the afternoon, several of us played ladder golf. I was paired up with my friend Judy, a sister Ramblin Rose. And we won! The Colorado girls didn’t take too kindly to the “Texans” winning and demanded a rematch ;) But that didn’t happen, so our win still stands :)



Then, we had an open house to show off our rigs. This is Ms. Belle, who is as unique as her Westfalia :)



The open house was followed by a potluck dinner, then a Win-it-in-a-minute game that was hilarious to watch and play. We also had entertainment by Susan Mooney, one of our very own Ramblin Roses who serenaded us with her guitar both nights and Saturday night we had a campfire and S’mores!

Sunday morning was our hitch up breakfast, hugs and cya down the roads. I think I can speak for everyone that we all had a great time. A hardy thank you to Donna, Sandra and Jillian for all their effort in hosting such an awesome rally!

Now it's onward to Ouray, Silverton and Durango!

Gallivanting in the Garden

Wednesday, I headed for Colorado Springs to see the Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak. At the visitors center, I parked in an RV spot and unloaded my scooter to gallivant around in the garden. It was a gorgeous day with beautiful scenery and sweet scooter roads to traverse.





The garden is full of different shaped rock formations and aptly named. This one is called the “Kissing Camels”



Balanced Rock



And this guy was really brave to be climbing that rock so high!



Most of the formations you could see from the road, but The “Siamese Twins” you had to hike to. I especially wanted to see this one, because you can see Pike’s Peak through the center of it.





I really wanted to ride my scooter up to the top of Pike’s Peak. But after some research about the steep, half gravel road and my experience of high, windy and cold elevations, I decided against it. I also opted not to fight the crowds at the cog railway. So, this was a two-for-one stop. I got to see both things all at the same place! After I finished taking photos, I rode around the park again just enjoying the day :)

Then I headed for Canon City. I wanted to see the Royal Gorge Bridge and had a camping spot all picked out for the night right on the same road. But, when I got there the road was closed off. The police officer told me there was a forest fire and the whole area had been evacuated. So, off I went to Salido for the night on my way to Nathrop for another RVW rally! My Texan friend Margareta was staying right down the road and we decided to go to the rally a day early.

Estes Park Panorama

I jumped on my scooter today and rode 28 miles to the Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park. It was a gorgeous day for a ride and the temperature was 90 degrees. I purchased an annual Park Pass since I will be visiting a lot of national parks this summer. The roads were perfect twisty and scenic scooter roads with creeks flowing along either side, which made for a pleasant drive.




Inside the park, I chose to take the Trail Ridge Road scenic byway. It's the highest continuously paved road in the United States, reaching an elevation of 12,183 feet. I didn’t seem to mind the high elevation except for my ears popping on the way back down, like they would in a cabin of a plane.

I saw my first snow capped mountain!




There is still run off from the remains of the snow.




Above the tree line looking back down on the route up.




Then I came to the part known as the Alpine Tundra where ice fields take over the roads in the winter. The elevation was high, it was cold and windy and the roads were all tore up with lots of gravel. It was not a pleasant experience. I’m used to riding in wind and on gravel in Texas, but these wind gusts were brutal and COLD! I don’t know how many mph they were, but I couldn’t get up enough speed on the poor roads to counter it and there are no guardrails. (Mom: Please don’t read this part ;) Not that they would have helped anyway. But despite having on my leather jacket and gloves, I had enough.



The ride back down was just as pleasant and refreshing as the ascent. The scent of pine and warmth of the sun was heavenly :)



Tomorrow it’s off to Colorado Springs to see Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods!

Colorful Colorado

Well, that’s what their welcome sign says anyway. I made it to Colorado yesterday. I was going to stop in Eads (my halfway point to Estes Park) for the night, but it was just too hot to stop that early. It was 100 degrees and I thought the sun was never going to set. So I kept driving in the AC until I got to Hugo, TX and spent the night in a little city park. I took route 287 up the eastern part of the state to avoid the interstates, but I still didn’t see much. It was all barren open plains with occasional windmill farms, cattle grazing and oil rigs (much like the photo above). Thought I was still back in West Texas ;)

I stopped at the Colorado welcome center in Lamar. It was an old train station with a train and windmill theme. I picked up some maps and points of interest brochures to make sure I don’t miss any “must sees”. The ladies working there were very nice and helpful.







Windmill blade from GE Energy:



I didn’t see a mountain until I got to Loveland, CO today. Now we’re going to see some color! ;) I’m staying in a “real” campground tonight, under trees with the smell of wood smoke :) Speaking of trees, when I got here today, there was all this white fluffy stuff blowing through the air and laying on the ground. No, it’s not snow! It’s from female cottonwood trees.






Tomorrow, it's off to Estes Park on the scooter. We're going to take the Trail Ridge Road scenic byway. Can't wait to see those views!

Last Day in Texas

Yesterday morning, Ann, Vicki and I put on our boots and hats and headed down into the canyon for some trail riding!

Getting saddled up!




Here we are. Vicki insisted on being Dale Evans, so I guess that makes Ann, Annie Oakley and me, Calamity Jane. hahaha!!!



Our horses behaved fairly well. Ann's acted up a bit and tried to buck, but she stayed on. Mine was a bit spirited and liked to trot when it got the chance and Vicki's behaved perfectly. Just like her, as she would say ;) lol We had a grand time as always and got out of the canyon before it got too hot.




Last evening, we went back down into the canyon for a fabulous steak dinner catered by the famous Big Texan Steak house. I had another whole tray full of delicious food!




Following dinner, there was a live country band playing and lots of folks dancing and having a high old time while we waited to see the outdoor musical "TEXAS" in the ampitheater.




Here's a few of our own out there doin the Cotton-eyed Joe. Peggy, Linda and Karen in the center.




The musical was just an amazing two hour entertaining history lesson full of live effects of singing, dancing, horses, stage coaches, trains, fire and fireworks against the back drop of the canyon. It brought to life the stories, struggles and triumphs of the settlers of the Texas Panhandle in the 1800s. If you ever get to Palo Duro, I'd highly recommend seeing it. No photos were allowed in the ampitheater, so I couldn't get any pictures.

This morning we had our hitch-up breakfast. Yes, we eat a lot! And it's all good, every bite. lol :) It takes a lot of effort to plan such a fun-filled rally. Thanks again to our hostesses, Pat and Miriam for such an awesome time!

Following breakfast, we all got our hugs and said our cya laters and headed off down our own paths. For us, it's off to Colorado!

And We're Off!

I headed out shortly after 8:00am yesterday morning. I had to make a little side trip into Abilene for a scooter part that my shop didn’t have. I spent about an hour at the Honda dealership, then headed off towards Post, TX. I had a nice little spot all picked out to stay overnight there. But, after the third call from the girls at the Texas Ramblin Roses Rally, I decided to just keep on going and get there. So after 12 hours on the road, I got to Canyon, TX a little after 8:00pm. Needless to say, I was road worn. But it was all good and it’s always like “Old Home Week” when we get together :)

Along the way, I drove through Sweetwater, TX. There were windmills as far as the eye could see on both sides of the road. Pretty impressive. And, with the wind around here, they have to be generating some power!




This morning, we went to Elkins Ranch down by the Palo Duro Canyon for a “Cowboy Breakfast” and some entertainment. They took us down into the canyon by jeep, where breakfast was waiting. No plates, just a tray full of great food! And I don’t even eat breakfast ;)




My friend Margareta ready to get in the Jeep!










After breakfast, there was a gentleman who played his guitar and sang country songs. He invited everyone to sing along and get up and dance. Well you don’t have to ask these girls twice ;)




Scotty, giving dance lessons for the “Cotton-eyed Joe”




Vicki doin the “Chicken Dance” lol What a hoot! ;)


After breakfast, my friend Peggy and I rode our scooters down into the canyon.











Tonight, is Happy Hour followed by a Potluck dinner and socializing. Then tomorrow morning we’ll be horseback riding in the canyon, then seeing the outdoor musical “Texas” with a steak dinner in the evening!

Wooo Hooooo!!! I'm officially on vacation!

For the Summer :) It hasn't hit me yet, but I'm sure it will tomorrow when I don't have to get up at O'dark-thirty and rush off to work. I have an awesome boss and co-workers though, and will surely miss them. But I'll be back in the Fall :)

For now, I am feverishly working on readying for take off on Thursday. The rig has all new sneakers, fresh oil and filters and is ready to roll. She is even sporting a new bra ;) Thanks to my friend Margareta, who also has a Sprinter. She traded up for a full size and gave me her partial. I'm sure it will help decrease the amount of nicks I'm getting on my nose. Thanks again Margareta :)





The scooter got serviced on Saturday. She needs a new sneaker in the back too. So that is on order and should be here on Tuesday morning and she'll be ready to roll!


The trailer is a different story. I got this really kewl "Trailer in a Bag" last July. I used it twice. It towed like a dream at normal speed limits with it's "D-rated" tires. It came apart in three foot sections to be stowed away when I wasn't using it. However, I was unable to load it myself. It was too scary to ride up the single track and I didn't have enough leverage to steady 400 lbs a foot off the ground. Try as hard as I might, I had to come up with a different solution that I can manage myself.





So, off I went to Tractor Supply and got a nice utility trailer. I took my scooter chock off the old and put it on the new. Now I am confident I can manage this one by myself without bodily injury. The only problem is, this one came with "B-rated" tires, so I can only go 60 mph. The speed limits in Texas are 70 and even 80 in West Texas. I'm just going to have to set my cruise control is all. Good thing I'm not in a hurry this trip ;) (Photo coming soon)


The next few days will be full of to do's such as laundry, haircut, reorganizing, groceries, cleaning, etc... Come Thursday morning, it'll be time to head out for our first stop. Palo Duro Canyon in Canyon, TX. I'm meeting a bunch of great friends at an Rving Women Rally there. It's a seven and a half hour drive, so we'll get there on Friday.

Next week, we'll be in Colorado! You can follow along on the map at the top right as we color in states as we go. We'll follow the green arrowed path around the Pacific North West :) It's gonna be a grand time!